Conventional computers have dedicated function keys or combinations of keys for invoking actions without requiring the entry of one or more lengthy commands. For example, a particular function key may change hardware settings or launch an application, but not both. Thus, the user can invoke an action by a so-called "shortcut" method. The Windows.TM. Program Manager (PM) from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., provides a shortcut key facility that allows the user to specify a unique key combination that, when pressed, launches an application of the user's choice. These function keys are intended to allow users to more efficiently operate their computers.
The PM shortcut key facility suffers from the drawback that it is only operative when the PM is the active application. Accordingly, if another application is active, the user may be confused when the shortcut key combination will not work or, worse yet, may accidently invoke a different action that destroys important information.
Thus, a shortcut key facility was created that is operative regardless of the application active at the time. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/262,517, filed Jun. 20, 1994, now abandoned, by the inventor of the instant invention, and entitled "System and Method For Launching Applications Using Dynamically Assignable Keyboard Bindings" and herein incorporated by reference, the user can define which application is launched when a particular key combination is pressed. The user can thus select applications that are used most frequently and associate such applications with function keys of his or her own choice. Thus, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/262,517 describes a procedure wherein a user can manually change the assignment of a key combination to invoke a different action. However, according to this procedure, the user is limited to a single configuration of keys or key combinations for assigning application launching capability thereto.
This approach limits mobile users who may use a different set of application/utilities specific to the demands of their work when situated in different locales. For example, a certain key combination may be used to invoke a user EMAIL application. However, when the user uses a portable computer, the key combination for the EMAIL application may vary depending on whether the user is locally connected to a network, e.g., in an office, or remotely connected via modem, e.g., on the road. When a user is in the office and directly attached to a network, the EMAIL program may run directly from the network. Alternatively, when the user is traveling, a different EMAIL program to batch process the mail may be required. To launch the EMAIL application, the user would have to assign two different key combinations. That is, one key combination for the local EMAIL application and one key combination for the remote EMAIL application, would be necessary.
This system requires a user to think and consciously remember which actions are invoked when the various functions keys are pressed depending on an event status. The problem is compounded by the fact that different actions may be invoked by the same function key or key combination when different applications are active. The user may thus conclude that using the function keys leads to unpredictable results. Further, the multiple key combinations required reduces the number of assignable key combinations for other functions and applications.
The user could assign the EMAIL application to the same key combination. However, each time the user changes between local and remote locations, the assignment to the desired key combination would have to be manually changed. Consequently, there remains a need to provide a system for easily reassigning key combinations for similar applications to the same key combination.